20160813 - Day 2 J's Dad & Me Day = Whitewater Adventure!

20160813 - Up in the am and J&I down to the lodge for some bfast. We ate and had plenty of time to relax and watch some swimmers before we headed up to the meeting point where we met Jimbo our raft guide, who would later same our lives... We got all suited up and took a very bumpy ride to the Lower New River. Jack intently listened to all of the safety instructions (good thing, it would come in handy...) We got tot he launch point and carried our boat to the water for the adventure to begin. On the river we hit our first couple of rapids, everything went great, until we tried to 'surf' on on of the hydraulics. It was at this point I was sucked out of the boat (for the 1st time of the day). Back in the boat and down the river through some bigger and bigger rapids. We did our first class 5 of the day and it was amazing, J seemed to be enjoying himself. We stopped for lunch and chilled out by the river. Back in the boat and we came to the jump rock, where J&I took a 30 foot leap off a cliff into the river (2nd time I almost died...) From there we came to a HUG class 5 called 'Double Z' a very dangerous rapid. Here we went WAY UP, then WAY DOWN, then J&I were sucked out of the boat at the most dangerous point of our trip. I fought to get J back in the boat and got sucked down when I went over 'Table Rock', pretty scary stuff. I stretched out my legs and arms in the weightlessness of getting thrashed about by the water and then the safety talk kicked in and I balled up and shot to the surface. What seemed a long time takes only a couple of seconds in the video... (3rd and final time I almost died...) J got back in the boat first, we were pretty shaken up and beat from getting dumped out in the rough water. On down the river through some calmer rapids and finished the trip

We took the bouncy ride back to the resort and J wanted to head straight to the water park again. I put on the life vest and just floated around the lake, exhausted from the days rafting. J did all of the obstacles including the zip line. I don't know where he gets his energy. After our swim we ate in the lodge, they had a whole pig on the counter and we picked at that until we were full. Back to the campsite and we dried off , changed and had a little fire. What a fantastic day with a fantastic boy. When I asked if he liked it he replied, 'It was WAY BETTER than any roller coaster I have ever been on. Can we do this again next year?" NO!